Noni’s+Favorite+Quotes

//Noni’s Favorite Quotes (Likely with a bit of sarcastic commentary here and there)//

"You have to study your opponent, so you know what he'll do before he does it... You have to know the moment in a fight where you'll win or lose and know how to wait for it... And, you have to not care whether you live or die." -Lancelot, from the movie //First Night.// This quote is particularly poignant to me because it sort of epitomizes the concept of bravery. Not caring if you live or die in a fight is absolutely brave, and I'm incredibly impressed by anyone, such as those men and women in our military, who thinks this way. Oddly enough, this is a concept that I've actually grown up with since my dad is always talking about bravery and knights in shining armor. The Man of La Mancha was about a playwright, Cervantes, who was imprisoned during the Spanish Inquisition. While in jail, Cervantes entertains his fellow prisoners with a story about a man named Don Quijote. Don Quijote was an elderly farmer who became what he called a knight errant, running around and following a quest. Don Quijote seemed happy in his dillusions, and only saw good, chivalry and light. He saw nothing as it was, and refused to accept anything but his version of reality. He really encompasses the innocence of childhood and the readiness to hope for a better reality, something which has been lost by the people of today. It is the sort of romanticized imagination that every adult misses at one point or another. One of the main reasons that the film, and play, have been so incredibly sucessful at standing the test of time is that people need a glimpse at what is pure and good in the world to justify why everyone tries so hard. Don Quijote epitomizes the power of imagination over happiness. And sometimes, seeing the world not as it is, but as it should be is the only way to bear living in such a place where children go hungry and people are killed for totally bogus reasons like money and jealousy. The story of Cervantes and Don Quijote will live on for years to come.